Apparatus for producing printing plates



Oct; 15, 1940.v M. c. TAYLOR 2,218,012

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINQPRINTING PLATES Original Filed June l, 1938 l 2 Sheets-Sheet l /////%f a 5 'w' f "37 .220 wz 25 4 ff l I figa i j;

f4 f6 if y f l f3 a MMM Oct. 15, 1940. M. c. TAYLOR 2,213,012

' APPARATUS FOR PRoDucING PRINTING PLATES original Filed Jun 1, 193e 2 'sheets-sheet 2 Patented ocr. '15, 1940 UNITED STATES `APPARATUS FOR PRODCING PRINTING PLATES Milton C. Taylor, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Partridge & Anderson Company, Chicago,`Ill., a

corporation of Illinois IOriginal applications June 1, A1938, Serial No. 211,242, and November 28, 1938, Serial No. 242,720. Divided and this application May 15,

1939, Serial No. 273,659

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel apparatus for metal bending and more especially for producing printing plates and particularly arcuate or curved plates of that type of plate used for mounting 5 electro-plates or vulcanized rubber cuts bearing advertising matter or linesA of printing'and designed to be mounted on the drum or segment of small printing machines.

`Heretofore it has been the practice to sever the 10 ends of the plate perpendicularly to the side vedges without reference tothe type or printed matter, and this has been done in a more or less haphazard manner Iwith the result that the ends of the plate would-not be parallel with the lines 15 of printing or the means for retaining the plates n the drum would not be parallel with said lines of printing and consequently when engaged in .the type grooves of' the drum V,would extend at an angle inclined in either direction with the re- 20 sult that the printed matter would not be properly located on the printedsheet.

They present invention has reference to an apparatus to produce from the sheet of metal forming the printingplate, novel .retaining means to engage the type grooves of the drum so that the plate will be properly positioned and may be ,mounted on the drum at any suitable point and remain in the position in which it is placed, and

is a divisional application of my prior applica- 30 tions for patent for Form dies for curved plates,

Serial No. 211,242, filed June 1, 1938, and Method and apparatus for producing printing plates, Serial No. 242,720, led November 28, 1938 and a continuation-in-part of my application for patent for Printing plates and method and apparatus for producing same, Serial No. `211,241 led June 1, 1938.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus to form the retaining means back l0 from the ends of the plate and to make provision for accommodating the plates which are of arcuate formation corresponding to the curvature of the drum at its periphery concentric to the center thereof at all points andA to provide means 45 for properly-locating the retaining means through vthe medium of a gauge provided for this purpose.

Other objects and advantages will appear to be brought out more fullyin, the following specilication, reference being had to the accompanying 50 drawings wherein: A

Fig. 1 is a central Vertical sectional View of a forming machine for producing the plates in accordance with the invention;

Fig.,2 is a horizontalsectional elevation taken .55 onthe line 2-2 of Fig..1;

drum;

held by stud bolts 3l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional elevation taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 1 but showing the completed step in the forming operation; 5

x Fig. `5 is a face view on a reduced scaleof a forming die used;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of one of the plates;

Fig. 7 is a face view of one of the plates;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified 10 form;

Fig. 9 is a face view of a die employed in the form` shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a face view of a plate produced between dies shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a detail view of a retaining means employed with the form of plate shown in Fig. 10; Fig. `12 is a fragmentary and elevation showing the plate and retaining means in position on a t20 Fig. 13 is a View similar to Fig. 4 of a still further modified forming device;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary face View of a forming die used with the form of Fig. 13; and

Fig. l15 is a sectional view of a plate produced 25 by the device of Figs. 13 and 14.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to the form shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, designates the top of the frame of the machine having a bed plate 2l on which is mounted a base .130 'plate or block 22 upon which the working operations are performed. The frame is provided with the usual standard, notshown, having an arm as illustrated in my prior application in which'` a plunger 23 is designed to bereciprocated. The plunger carries a block .24 secured in position by stud bolts 25 and said block supports a cross-head 26 having horizontal lugs 21 vertically apertured to receive pins 28. The cross head 26 is recessed at the front and back to receive plates 29 and 30 .40

The plate 30 is in the form of a die having its lower edge provided with a series of beveled teeth or blades 32 and interveningk recesses or notches 33. 'I'hese blades Voperate at the front and back of a block 34 mounted 45 upon the base plate 22 by having a concaved arcuate bottom face35 concentric to the axis of a segment 36 mounted on the sides of the frame as indicated at 3l and constituting a half section orother segment of the printing' machine drum pro- 50 vided ,withthe usual grooves 38 employed in the machine forreceiving the type or plate retaining means. An anvil, pressure or guide plate' 39 presses against the front of the formingdie 30 andhas aperturedlugs or ears 40 receiving the ,Q5

lower ends of the pins 28 adapted to compress springs 4| mounted on the pins between them and the lugs 21. The anvil 39 cooperates with an anvil 42 mounted in a recess 43 at the front of the block 22 and held by stud bolts 44. 'I'his anvil has its operative face or top edge 45 formed to t the contour of the plate 46 when mounted upon the segment 36 and concentric to the axis therel,

of throughout its length. The anvil 42 produces a bottom forming die in that it is recessed at its upper inner corner as indicated at 41 and provided with a projecting rib 48 against which the plate is punched out and bent down to form an# gular groove engaging tongues 49 spaced from the ends of the plate 46. In order to accommodate the plate at any desired degree of projection beyond the forming .dies the arcuate portion of the block 34 is slotted as at 50 to receive the end of the plate therein and a stop member 5| is provided in the slot or recess 5 and is mounted upon a guide pin 52 which is `movable through arcuate slots 53 in the side Walls of the arcuate portion and adapted to be clamped in adjusted position by suitable nuts 54 mounted on the ends thereof and frictioning against the ends of the block 34. By this means, the forming dies may be caused to act upon the plate 46 at any desired distance from the extremities thereof and as before stated, the die 30 not only stamps out the engaging tongues 49 from the plate but also bends the same downwardly at an obtuse angle to the plate `as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings. Also, cooperating with the `die 39 is an arcuate die 55 received in corresponding guide Ways in the convex upper portion at the front of the `block 22 in back of the anvil 42 and held rearwardly displaced by springs 56 mounted in re- 4cesses 51 below the guide way for the die 55, said springs acting against the front walls of the recesses 51 and lugs 58 depending from the die 55. The top front edge of the die 55 is provided with recesses 59 designed to engage portions of the tongues 49 to cause the same to be bent horizontally inwardly as indicated at 60 while the remaining portions extend or are bent radially but substantially at right angles to the inwardly di rected portions S0 at the inner ends of the slots produced in the plates as a result of stamping out the tongues on three sides in the manner shown and described. These tongues are designed to engage in the type receiving grooves of the drum of the printing machine and by reason of the particular formation described will grip the same with suicient friction to firmly keep the plate in position and prevent accidental displacement thereof. Of course, it is to be understood that when one end of the plate is provided with a series of tongues positioned in spaced relation as shown in Fig. '7, the plate is inverted to produce the tongues already formed for engaging the drum grooves are fitted in the corresponding groove of the segment 36, which in this manner constitutes a gauge calibrated physically by reason of the grooves formed therein to accurately position the opposite end so that the tongues produced at the latter end will be equidistantly spaced apart from the previously formed tongues as to exactly correspond with the spacing of certain grooves of the drum and thereby permit the plate to be mounted against the periphery of the drum when slid into position edgewise or axially with respect to the drum and grooves thereof.

In order to reciprocate the arcuate die 55, any suitable means may be provided. As shown, a shaft 6| is pivoted in the sides of a bearingframe E2 at the back of the block 34 and has a plurality, preferably a pair of eccentrics or arms 63 xed thereto and pivotally connected by suitably articulated joints 64 to pivot ears at the back edge of the die 55. A handle 65 is mounted on one end of the shaft and by actuating this handle, the die 55 may be moved forward or backward in its arcuate guide to act upon the plate or permit clearance for the vertically reciprocating die 30 when operated in the manner previously described.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive, the construction is the same as that just described except that in lieu of the die 30, a die 66 is provided. This die has its lower end reduced in thickness as indicated at 61 and these dies which are both cutting and punching dies of course co-act with the interiitting portions of the anvil to stamp out the metal of the plate in the manner described. In this instance the metal of the plate is stamped out to produce elongated slots 68 of suitable length and number and spaced from each end of the plate by reversing the position of the plate in the manner previously described in connection with Fig. 1. In this form as well as the form previously described, a rack b-ar 69 may be formed adjacent one or both of the slots 53 for engagement by a pinion 1|] on the shaft 52 so that by rotating the nut 54, the stop member 5| may be moved to any desired position for adjustment according to the extension of the f end of the plate beyond the vertically reciprocating die to be determined by the distance it is desired or necessary to locate the tongues 49 or slots 68 from the ends of the plate. In the latter form, the arcuate die 1| die 66 in the punching operation while an anvil 12 is recessed as at 13 to receive the lower edge of the die 6B corresponding to the width of the slots 68. The actuating means for the movable die 1| is the same as that already described and f will be designated by corresponding reference characters. In order to retain the plate formed with the slots 68 in position upon a printing drum,v keys or split pins 14 may be employed as shown in Fig. l1. The heads 15 of these keys are inserted in the grooves of the printing drum as disclosed in Fig. 1'2 with the Shanks extending through the slots 68 and then bent over or clinched as indicated at 16, thus retaining the printing plate in any desired aforesaid position of ,f

the printing drum.

In Figs. 13, 14 and l5 of the drawings, the same general structure of the machine or apparatus is employed with the exception of the die members and lower anvil. In this form the lower anvil 11 is provided with an undercut recess 18 producing an overhanging rib 19 and the upper die 8i) has recesses 8| at the back with the result that the stamped out slots and tongues resulting therefrom are of angular formation as are the tongues 49. In this respect it is also pointed out that the retaining members or keys 74 are also bent angularly when in retaining position. This results in the form of plate illustrated in Fig. l5, the tongues being rst directed l cooperates with the of the springs 51 and lugs 58 is reversed, due to the fact that the operative movement of the die is rearwardly instead of forwardly as in the other described forms, more particularly shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 8 of the drawings. Tongues bent in the manner just described will enter the slots of the retaining grooves for the type or printing plate and engage the opposite spaced head of the T-shaped member producing the T-shaped slots or retaining grooves of the printing drum as it is thought will be readily appreciated by anyone acquainted with this art. In either form positive and accurate retention of the plate carrying the cut or advertising matter thereon will be equally insured.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect; this is capable of variation and modication without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame, a gauge member on the frame adapted to support a curved printing plate having type matter, a vertically reciprocating upper die formed to produce tongues from a printing plate in parallel relation to the type matter, and an arcuately movable lower die member cooperating therewith to bend portions of said tongues downwardly normal to the plate and. spaced portions of the tongues substantially normal thereto and parallel to the plate in opposite directions at opposite ends of the plate.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame, an arcuate gauge member on the frame, a vertically reciprocating upper die formed to produce downwardly extending tongues from a printing plate in parallel relation to type matter on a curved printing plate,- and an arcuately movable lower die member cooperating therewith to bend portions of said tongues at right angles to the plate and portions of said tongues at right angles thereto, said die member being cushioned and held in one direction, means forming a stop for one end of the plate and means for actuating the lower die member.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame, a curved gauge member on the frame adapted to take a curved printing plate, a vertically reciprocating upper die formed to produce portions in parallel relation to type matter on the curved printing plate, and an arcuately movable lower die member cooperating therewith to bend said portions inwardly at right angles and other portions at right angles thereto spaced from the plate,` whereby the latter portions at opposite end portions of the plate will extend in opposite directions.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame, a segmental gauge member on the frame to support a curvedprinting plate, a vertically reciprocating upper die formed to produce spaced portions at right angles and in parallel relation to type matter on the printing plate, and an arcuately movable lower die member cooperating therewith to bend said portions at an angle in spaced parallel relation thereto, said die member being cushioned and held in one direction, means forming a stop for one end of the plate and means for actuating the lower die member.

MILTON C. TAYLOR. 

